What the Heart Wants
by ohmytheon
Summary: Ochako married Izuku because he was the best possible match for her to keep her family afloat and Izuku married her because she was the best fit to for the fortune he inherited. However, could there possibly be something more to it? (GoT-inspired)


**Notes:** I used these prompts as an excuse to kinda write my Game of Thrones/BNHA AU. So like… Oops. I was given the prompts "Marriage of Convenience" + "Mutual Pining" + Izuocha. Lots of Ochako thought and exposition, but then it falls into the cute feelsy territory. I really enjoyed writing this. It was sweet and interesting. Just two dorks in love being married and not knowing they're in love.

 **Disclaimer:** I own neither BNHA nor GoT, even though this has jack shit to do with GOT.

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Truth be told, Ochako could not have hoped for a better match. Her family's House had declined in the past few generations and she had known that it would not be long before they faded into lowborn status, reminiscing on the days when they had been something more. It had started before she was born, but she had promised herself upon coming of age that she would do right by them, no matter the cost.

As she grew older, she had paid attention in all her lessons so that by the time she was thirteen she could run her family's castle on her own. She'd even managed to impress the ladies of higherborn Houses and had been invited to attend the court as one of the princess' many attendants. It had been hard to leave her parents behind, but she knew that if she were to find a match that would improve her family's status, this would be her only opportunity. Her parents had done their best to find her a decent match, but either their family's offers had been turned down or they wouldn't help their family rise.

After four years of splitting her life between the royal court and her childhood home, Ochako had finally managed to secure a betrothal that was not only the best for her family but also...more than tolerable. Izuku Midoriya had not originally come from a well-known highborn family, but the head of the Toshinori family had never produced an heir. For reasons known only to them, Izuku had been granted the title and raised as a Toshinori a year before Ochako had come to the royal court.

It had taken no shortage of hard work, especially when she hadn't been the only one with eyes on him. After all, he was the sole heir to one of the most important Houses outside of the royal family themself, House Yaoyorozu, House Bakugou, and House Iida. She couldn't say that her desire to wed him had been born out of love. It started out, of course, as a need. She had only been fourteen when she had become Princess Fuyumi's attendant, the youngest one, and Izuku had already become a familiar face at the court as Toshinori brought him around the others. There were already other highborn girls, much richer and prettier than her, trailing after him in hopes that they could become his betrothed.

Ochako knew that she wasn't the most cunning girl in a court filled with vipers, but she could be clever and, most importantly, she acted with her heart on her sleeve. Unlike many of the others, men and women alike, she did not try to cut others down in her attempts to get to the top. Even better, having come from a family not as well off as the others, she and Izuku had been able to bond in a way that the other girls could not conceive.

However, nothing beyond a deep friendship seemed to have blossomed between them. Ochako did not lie to herself. She was trying to find a match to better her family, not someone to love. There was no time for that. Izuku, on the other hand, had to fend off potential matches that would seek to supplant him or take over the Toshinori fortune. It was exhausting work. Being an only child, Ochako had no brothers that could use her ties to him to complicate matters.

It helped that they got on well. In the four years that Ochako had come to know him, Izuku had proven to be not only kind, but smart and warm. He had a determination to rise above his station that she could understand and he went out of his way to help others below him, even going so far as to consider himself not above them. He was good with a sword, ready to help at a moment's notice, and observant in a way that was more than calculating.

Of course it wasn't until after they wed that Ochako realized she might actually...care for Izuku in the most unexpected ways.

Instead of feeling giddy about this though, she found herself most nervous and uncomfortable. Out of all the things she'd planned for, falling in love had not been one of them. She knew that Izuku hadn't chosen her out of all the other ladies at court because he loved her. They trusted one another. She could honestly say that she would trust Izuku with her life - and she had, having taken on his name and saying the vows. He still went by Midoriya these days, although it was known that he was officially a Toshinori in title.

For the first few months of their wedded life, they had stayed in the capitol, keeping their positions at the court. Toshinori still had his position there, but it would only be a few years before he passed it on to Izuku and would retire back to his estate. Now that he was wed though, he would return to his castle and run it in Toshinori's stead and she would follow.

Ochako was nervous for a lot of reasons. One, she had only been there once before, during their brief betrothal. They had wed shortly after it was announced, seeing as how they had been betrothed late compared to others their age. Two, the court had served as a barrier between them, their duties keeping them apart much of the time, but once they were at Might's End, it would be different. There would be nothing between them and certain duties on her end would be...required.

They hadn't consummated their marriage fully.

A highborn's wife first duty - every wife's duty - was to produce an heir as quickly as possible. It had been determined that Ochako was good fit to bear children, one of the other upsides to marrying her. She wasn't sure how she had managed to survive the embarrassment when Izuku had been told that she had "excellent child-bearing hips". Neither of them had been able to look at each other for two days after that without blushing furiously.

However, she couldn't do that if they didn't spend actual time in bed together. Izuku mostly kept to his quarters in the castle while she stayed in either hers or the princess' when her presence was required. Izuku spent most of his time either with Toshinori or the crowned prince, being one of his closest companions. She knew that Izuku had been disappointed to leave the royal castle, if only because of Prince Shouto, but it had to be done.

Now that they were at Might's End, their duties were much different. At first, both of them could avoid it since taking over the castle's daily activity from Torino, the steward, had been a lot of work. Instead of being worried, Ochako took on her duties with gusto, learning the inner workings of the castle far beyond the expectations of most highborn ladies. Izuku was already a familiar and welcomed face there, beloved by many, and she wanted to prove to them that she wasn't just some upstart hopeful using Izuku for his inheritance.

Izuku worked late and still stayed in separate quarters across from the ones he'd given her. Most nights, she would lie awake until she heard his door open and close. Sometimes, she thought she heard him hesitate outside her bedroom door, as if to check that she was asleep, and then he would go to his room. A part of her always felt relieved when she heard his door shut; another part of her ached for him to open hers.

During the day, when they were together, everything seemed wonderful. They worked well as a team. He trusted her opinion, often asking her for it when discussing things with the other lords under them when most men would not. But at night, they went their separate ways, as if nothing of what happened between them mattered when the sun was up, leaving Ochako to feel like something was missing or she was lacking in some way.

Today, they had actually spent some time together outside of the castle. Izuku had taken her to one of his favorite spots, a small beach area with a nearby cave. The ocean was dark and warm there, inviting them inside. She'd walked in the water, her skirts hiked up, as he had talked about his first year living here. Before being raised to Toshinori's heir, he had often spent time working for the Bakugous until he and his mother had been able to afford to move to a better place. When Toshinori had first taken him under his wing, Izuku had often come here to relax and spend his free time alone.

Seeing this side of him, one that he had kept hidden from the court for good reason (it did not do well for him to talk about the fact that he came from a lowborn family, even if a few people at the court threw it in his face), had warmed Ochako's heart incredibly. She had never met someone so sincere. He didn't let his past hold him back, instead choosing to use it to propel himself forward. It was such an admirable trait.

No, she could not have hoped for a better match.

But it would have been easier had she not developed actual feelings that she could not hope to be returned in full. She knew that Izuku was fond of her, but beyond that, she wasn't sure. They were close, but rarely affectionate in public. Even on their wedding night, when he should have bedded her, they had spent most of it talking, although he had held her hand and they had kissed. That had been her fault. She had been so nervous that she'd gotten worked up and teary-eyed and he had soothed and helped calm her down.

" _You don't need to force yourself to do anything with me,"_ Izuku had told her and he had stood by his word. He had seemed relieved as well and they had fallen asleep next to one another after talking until the sun had risen.

Except now she was convinced that he did not want to do anything with her and it...stung more than she wanted to admit.

Tonight was another night alone in her quarters. She sighed as she changed into her night shift, rubbing tiredly at her face. She'd washed the sand off, but missed the smell of the ocean spray. It permeated the air of the entire castle, but had been strongest there. She wanted to go back to the beach, to that moment when Izuku had held her hand as she splashed in the ankle-deep water and laughed when the waves rushed over her calves and got her dress wet. He had smiled at her so fondly and she had thought he might kiss her openly then…

She had known that a marriage of convenience would leave her wanting, but she had not expected to want something or someone so specific.

A hesitant knock on her door stirred her out of her thoughts. She furrowed her brow as she turned to the door. Who would it be at this hour? One of the servants? She did not think there was anything specific planned tomorrow that needed her attention so late. Tired and not thinking much of it, she stood up and opened the door, only to be surprised to see Izuku, who had not changed yet.

"Oh." Ochako opened the door further. She didn't know what to say. "Did you need something?"

"I…" Izuku blinked, looking distracted and disheveled, as if he'd not even bothered to straighten himself up after their horse ride back to the castle. "May I come in?"

A small smile quirked at Ochako's lips. "It's your castle."

"And yours as well," Izuku replied, stepping into the room. She shut the door behind him and turned around to face him. When he looked at her, his eyes flickered up and down her, as if seeing her for the first time, his cheeks reddening and his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. "Ah…"

A chill ran up her spine as she realized she was only wearing a thin shift and she moved to sweep her robe and pull it over her body, her face bright pink. "I was getting ready for bed," she explained, although she didn't know why she said anything. It was obvious. "I apologize."

"An apology isn't necessary," Izuku told her, stepping closer. Her breath hitched in her chest. They stared at one another until he was right in front of her. He was so close that she could feel the warmth radiating from him. "You're my wife." He swallowed again as he reached out and untied the belt of her robe. She felt like she couldn't breathe, but when she didn't stop him and leaned forward to embolden him, he slid his hands onto her waist. "I'd rather you not hide from me."

Ochako hesitated for only a moment before she wrapped her arms around his neck and Izuku let out a shaky, relieved breath. Even as they leaned into each other's space, they didn't kiss immediately, their eyes closed, noses bumping into one another and their lips centimeters apart. She felt as if her entire world was shattering and piecing itself back together into something hopeful. How many nights had she dreamt that Izuku might knock on her door instead of turning to his room? How many days had she wondered what it would feel like to have him want her as much as she wanted him?

She had been certain that he had only married her because she fit the desired requirements, they worked well together, and she was of good humor.

Had there been more to it and he had simply been too afraid to say anything in case she did not feel the same way?

"I was afraid that…" Ochako bit her lip and it brushed against Izuku's. "That I was only imagining things."

"I've been wanting to do this for so long, but I didn't want to make you uncomfortable," Izuku admitted, his thumbs rubbing circles against her hips, pulling at her shift. "Is this okay?"

"Yes," Ochako breathed, perhaps too quickly. She felt Izuku's lips tug into a smile and her heart skipped a beat when he pulled her closer against him. "I'm your wife, am I not?"

Izuku kissed her then, full of warmth and a passion that felt as if he'd been holding himself back for months. He was just as eager as she felt in her heart. It wasn't a chaste kiss or one done out of duty. One hand moved from her hip to cup her face, his fingers digging in her hair, and he deepened the kiss. It was everything she had hoped for and more when she had still entertained dreams of falling in love when she was a little girl.

Only when she felt the back of her legs bump into her bed did they stop to breathe and Izuku pressed his forehead against hers. "Tell me if you need me to stop."

"Please don't," Ochako told him and Izuku chuckled, clinging to her tightly.

She could not have hoped for a better match in a husband.


End file.
